


Backwards (Draco Love Story)

by Miss_Markers



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-01
Updated: 2014-09-30
Packaged: 2018-01-10 18:56:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 20,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1163289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Markers/pseuds/Miss_Markers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Evelyn Raine Odessa -- who goes by Raine -- is a fifteen year old American girl. She is going to Hogwarts for the first time ever due to the largest mess up in wizard history, and being that she's new to everything magical she's geared to do things her own way. Take only an owl, cat, or toad? Take a raven. Treat muggles and muggle borns as inferior? Befriend all of them. Stay away from Draco Malfoy since he may or may not be working with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named? Fall in love with him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Diagon Alley

        “How old are you exactly?” the old man that ran the shop asked, scrutinizing me. I rolled my eyes and tapped my foot impatiently, knowing that Professor McGonagall would be back any moment to collect me after getting my wand, which this idiot didn’t seem to be capable of helping me with since he kept up with the twenty questions.  
        “I’m fifteen, sir,” I said, “And I need to find a wand.”  
        “And why don’t you have one at the moment; did your previous one break, perhaps?”  
        “No,” I grumbled, “I haven’t ever had a wand before.” Of course this left him with a dumbfounded look: a fifteen-year-old witch, never having had a wand before? What a scandal!  
        “Why ever not?” he questioned, looking awe struck.  
        I sighed, “Look I would greatly appreciate if you would help me out with the wand situation rather than question me. I’m kind of in a hurry.”  
        “Ah, right, of course,” he stepped over to a shelf and began pulling down long, thin boxes, sneaking glances back at me every few seconds as if I might disappear into thin air. After a moment he placed three boxes on the counter, taking off each lid carefully to reveal a delicate stick inside each. He slid one of the boxes to me and nodded his head at it, “Go on try it out.”  
        I carefully picked up the wand, unsure as to what was supposed to happen when I did. Was there supposed to be fireworks shooting out of the end? Was something supposed to blow up? He seemed to notice my hesitation, “You’ll know if it’s the right one instantly. After all, it’s the wand that chooses the wizard. Er, witch as being the case.”  
        I shook my head, putting it back into the box, “I’m not sure if that’s going to happen…” I gently touched the one on the left and recoiled my hand in reflex; the wand had felt almost electric to the touch. I placed my left hand slowly on it once more, but the electricity was gone, replaced with a throbbing pulse that seemed to match my own heartbeat. I looked back up at the storeowner with wide eyes, “Is that supposed to happen?”  
        He smiled at me, “Beech wood with phoenix feather core. Excellent indeed, my dear.”  
        “B-but how do you know if it’s the right one?” I asked, although at that moment I knew instantly that it was, in fact, my wand.  
        “They don’t call me Ollivander for nothing. Now, how will you be paying…?”  
        My mind drifted as I handed him the galleons, having gotten some from Professor McGonagall in replace of my American cash. It was all so strange, the fact that not even two whole days ago I had been in Maine with my foster parent, Henry, discussing if I would be going to school once the summer was over or if I would remain there, working for him to help pay for the house. Professor McGonagall had shown up and explained the entire situation to me, how since I had been born in London I was technically supposed to go to Hogwarts, but that since I had never officially been made a citizen of the United States none of the wizardry schools in America would be able to take me. They didn’t even know I existed. Somehow the headmaster of Hogwarts had found out that I had slipped through the cracks, and he deemed me fit to go to the school even without having gone for the first four years. I would be sorted into one of the however many houses they had, and would become a proper student, just that I would be required to be tutored every week in order to catch up on… everything wizard related.  
        “Have a nice day, dear,” Ollivander said as I exited the shop, fiddling with my wand in my hand. It had been strange at first to think that I was a witch, but over the course of my life I’d made some pretty strange stuff happen. I’d made objects move without touching them, I’d controlled fire and water, I’d made things grow, and I’d talked to animals, having full-fledged conversations with them. It turned out that that was only because of me being a witch, which was better than the alternative of me being a nut case.  
        “Ms. Odessa, I believe that is all we need to get for you, dear,” Professor McGonagall said, walking up to me with a cart full of books, a cauldron, and other random items that I would no doubt be needing at Hogwarts. I trailed behind her, observing all of the interesting people I was passing, and stopped in my tracks. There, sitting in a cage in the window of a store called Eeylops Owl Emporium and Magical Menagerie, was the prettiest, most interesting raven I had ever seen. Its feathers seemed to change colors, going from dark violet to dark blue to black, as it ruffled its wings. It definitely didn’t enjoy being in the cage it was in, which was obvious since it kept hopping from one side of the cage to the other, almost looking for a way out. She was beautiful, and she was the only raven in there from what I could see.  
        “Ms. Odessa,” Professor McGonagall called out, turning to see me running into the store. As soon as I was in I made a beeline for the raven, stopping just in front of the cage. She was eying me, watching my every movement from as soon as I entered the store just as I was for her, and being closer up I was able to see that when light hit her feathers it was almost as if there was burgundy in them as well.  
        “You have good taste,” McGonagall told me, stepping next to me.  
        “She’s gorgeous,” I uttered, becoming amused once the raven seemed to prune up at my compliment, fluffing out her feathers and strutting around her cage, not breaking eye contact with me. “Can I bring her to Hogwarts?”  
        McGonagall sighed, “Well…”  
        I remembered something about McGonagall saying that I could have an owl or a cat or a toad at school, “I know she technically isn’t on the list of animals permitted, but there has to be exceptions, correct?”  
        McGonagall considered what I said, “I suppose it couldn’t hurt… But she mustn’t be flying around the school or causing a ruckus, because then I would be in trouble for having allowed you to bring her in the first place. Go pay for her, I have to say hello to some people outside,” with that she left, her cloak sweeping behind her elegantly as she did so, but I was practically jumping up and down with excitement. I made the transaction and grabbed her cage.  
        She stuck the tip of the beak through the bars and I gently placed a finger on it, stroking its cool, smooth tip. “I must name you…” she looked up at me with attitude, as if to say ‘better make it a good one’. I thought for a moment before saying, “Bronwyn?” she yanked her head back through the bars so I definitely knew that wasn’t a good name for her, “Eve?” she backed away from me as far as the cage would allow, “Geez, sorry for offending you with that wretched name. How about… Nevar?” she perked up at the sound of it and fluttered her wings. “Nevar it is then.”  
        Nevar made a cooing noise and nestled her feathers while I stepped out of the shop and into the hustle and bustle of the crowded street. “Come along, dear,” McGonagall said, stepping up to me and I followed, pleased with how the day turned out: I had my wand, and I had Nevar. I was a witch, and nothing could go wrong.


	2. Introductions

        I began to hyperventilate as I gazed out at all of the other people getting prepared to board the train that would take us to Hogwarts. None seemed to be paying me any attention, but being in large crowds always made me freak out. My palms were sweaty and my breathing was labored, and the fact that I was alone was making me freak out even more. McGonagall had told me that she would expect me to be able to board the train without any difficulties, and that she would meet me at Hogwarts when I got there, but I was a bit irritated that she just up and freaking left me. It was my first time going to Hogwarts, and I was worse than all of the younger children who were crying and hugging their families for the last time.  
        “Are you getting on or not?”  
        I turned to see a breathtakingly handsome teenager of about my age, with bright blonde hair and grey eyes, wearing a black sweater and jeans. Once he saw my face, he lost his irritated expression and curious interest spread to take its place. I rolled my eyes, “Yeah, hold your freaking horses, douche,” I snapped, turning and walking up onto the train so that I didn’t have to see what he thought of my comment. As soon as I made it up, however, I was greeted with a ton of teenagers who were running all over, trying to find which compartments they wanted to sit in, and I was pushed and shoved while I attempted not to faint: the walkway was extremely narrow, crowded, and it felt like the walls were constricting in on me. I looked down at the floor as I walked forward, being hustled about by people running around, and peeled myself out of the hall only to fall into an empty compartment. I signed with relief and sat down, covering my face with my hands: I didn’t know how I would be able to deal with all of this.  
        A pecking at the window brought my attention to focus and I stared up in wonder at Nevar, who was flapping her magnificent wings just outside of the window. I immediately opened it up and she flew in to land on my knee, fluffing up her feathers: she was proud that she’d found me. I stroked her beak absentmindedly, grateful that she was there with me since my nerves were so shot that I was losing it.  
        “Wow, what an interesting bird.”  
        I jumped, freaking Nevar out, and stared up at the three people who had entered the compartment with me: there was the girl who had spoken, with thick, curly, light brown hair that went past her shoulders, a ginger who was nibbling on candy, and a boy with black hair and glasses. All three of them sat down, the two guys next to each other and the girl next to me, and I noticed that they were all three wearing their school uniforms with red and gold ties around their necks. They were all staring at me expectantly, no doubt noticing that while I wore the same uniform I had no tie to signify whichever house I was in, and I drummed my thumb on my thigh. I hated being watched by people.  
        “I’m Hermione Granger,” the girl said, putting her hand out, and I shook it reluctantly, “This is Ron,” she indicated the ginger, “And this is Harry,” the one with glasses nodded at me. Hermione waited a moment before coaxing, “And, you are…?”  
        “Oh, I’m Raine,” I told them, stroking Nevar’s feathers. The three of them could obviously see that I wasn’t going to say much else, so the one with glasses – Harry – decided to try to talk to me.  
        “Which house are you in?” he asked, “I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.”  
        I tapped my foot nervously; did McGonagall want me to tell people about me? I decided that it didn’t matter since they would all be finding out some way or another, and shook my head, “I’m actually, um, new here.”  
        All three of them grew extremely interested in me, “Really, are you an exchange student?” Harry asked, but Hermione responded with, “No, she can’t be, Harry: Hogwarts doesn’t do exchanges with American wizardry schools.”  
        “How do you know she’s American?” Ron asked.  
        “It’s obvious, Ron,” Hermione rolled her eyes, “She has an American accent.”  
        “Well, maybe she’s really a first year then,” Ron said, and Hermione laughed, “Does she look like she’s eleven, Ronald?”  
        “I’m just throwing ideas out there, Hermione,” he grumbled.  
        I shrank back into my seat while Hermione and Ron argued about me, and stroked Nevar’s beak again, fiddling with my wand in my pocket. I really didn’t want to be there. Harry seemed to notice my distress, “Guys, maybe we should just talk to her about it.”  
        I smiled while the three of them turned their attention back to me, “I’m fifteen, actually, I’m from America – Maine, to be exact – and I literally only just found out a few days ago that I was a witch. There was apparently this huge mess up with my documents, and no wizardry schools ever claimed me.”  
        “Wow,” Harry leaned forward, “Then, are you going to be a fifth year, or will you be taking—?”  
        “I’m going to be a fifth year,” I interrupted, “But I’m going to be tutored all the time so that I hopefully don’t fail.”  
        “That’s wonderful,” Hermione said with a smile, “If you ever need any help I would be more than happy to—”  
        “Well, well, well,” we all looked up to see the handsome blonde boy that I’d called a douche, standing in the entrance to our compartment with his arms crossed, two taller boys standing behind him. He had changed into his school clothes and had on a green tie, as did the two behind him, “What do we have here?”  
        “What do you want, Malfoy?” Harry practically growled.  
        “Who are you?” the blonde that Harry had called Malfoy asked, directed to me. He definitely recognized me from earlier; he just probably wanted to know my name so that he could call me names.  
        “She doesn’t want to talk to you,” Harry said for me, and I grew a bit irritated; I hated it when people spoke for me.  
        “It doesn’t matter,” I said, frowning, “I’m Raine.”  
        “And I’m Draco,” the blonde smiled, “I don’t recognize you: what house are you in?”  
        “Why does everyone ask that?” I questioned, watching Nevar ruffle her feathers, “It doesn’t matter, okay, you’ll find out later,”  _as will I_ , I added in my head.  
        He scoffed, and left, glaring at the four of us as he did, and I sighed: everyone was so interested in what house I was, when I didn’t even know what houses there were. The fact that everyone was so into which house they were made me a bit jealous that I didn’t know which house I belonged in, that I didn’t yet have a place in the school. I looked out the window at the passing scenery, excited and nervous of what was to come. I was hoping that I would be in whatever house Harry, Ron, and Hermione were in, that way I would at least have some friends, but I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if I wasn’t. Would people like me? Make fun of me; since I didn’t have a clue about magic?  
        All I knew was one thing: my evening was only just beginning.


	3. Chapter 3

        The rest of the train ride went by quickly, and I had managed to skate by unnoticed by any other students since I remained in the compartment with Harry, Ron, and Hermione and no other people came to talk to them. I didn’t even have to talk to the three of them much since they were discussing the things that had happened over their summer break, and I listened intently to what they each had to say. Apparently something called a dementor attacked Harry, and he had to use his magic to defend himself, but being underage he was taken to a hearing. I’d interrupted then, asking, “Wait, even if we’re being attacked we aren’t allowed to use magic?”  
        “Not really, but since the dementors can only be defended by magic they let me slide,” he’d responded and I just grew confused. He’d continued to explain how he’d met the Order of the Phoenix, which consisted of a lot of powerful wizards and witches. I remained silent during this while Hermione and Ron questioned him about all of it since I was still extremely confused, not knowing about anything he was talking about. He mentioned a patronus charm, which was how he’d defended himself against the dementor, but I still didn’t say anything.  
        Eventually I saw a huge, beautiful castle in the window, and my eyes widened as I watched it grow bigger and bigger. It was the largest building that I had ever seen, and that was saying something since it was still a distance away. “That’s Hogwarts,” Hermione informed me, “Come on, we have to leave now.”  
        I walked with the three of them off of the train, Nevar perched on my shoulder and messing with my dark black hair that looked purple in the sunlight. I followed them to carriages but stopped in my tracks upon seeing what was pulling them. They were skeletal horses. “What are those?” I asked, walking closer to one.  
        “If you’re asking about what pulls the carriages, they’re called Thestrals,” a curly blonde girl said, getting into the carriage with Hermione, Ron, and Harry.  
        “There’s nothing pulling the carriages,” Hermione argued while I stepped into the carriage with them. As soon as I was seated the carriage began moving forward along with a ton of other ones. I marveled at the Thestrals’ demonic beauty.  
        “I’m Luna,” the blonde girl said with a sweet smile, “I like your bird. What is her name?”  
        “Nevar,” I said, sticking my finger out so Nevar could hop onto it. I lowered her down so that she could sit on my knee and watched the growing castle in the distance.  
        “That’s beautiful,” she commented, and Nevar upon hearing the compliment hopped back and forth between my knees, showing off.  
        “Look, we’re here,” Luna said, jumping out of the carriage and walking with the large group of people up to the gates. I lingered next to the Thestral, watching as everyone piled into the school grounds, and wondered what the inside of this dark, beautiful place looked like.  
        “Raine, are you coming?” Harry asked, standing next to me. Hermione and Ron had already continued on to the school and he was waiting for me.  
        “Y-yeah…” I mumbled, walking with him. Nevar was flying overhead and I glanced up to see a ton of other birds flying over her, which was obviously making her nervous since she flew back down to fly closer to me. We walked in silence that was marred only by our feet shuffling along on the ground.  
        “There’s nothing to be nervous about,” Harry told me, flashing me a smile, and I returned it halfheartedly. “I was nervous about my first year, too, but then it happened and it was one of the best days of my life."  
        I smiled, but my hands were shaking. Nevar landed on my shoulder as we got to the opened door, where Professor McGongall was standing, waiting for me. "Potter, it is kind of you to walk the new student to the door, but you need to get to the Great Hall: I can handle Ms. Odessa from here."  
        Harry nodded and smiled at me one last time, squeezing my shoulder to let me know that everything would be fine, and left. I looked up at McGonagall, "How do you decide which house I'll be placed in?"  
        She smiled, "You'll see, dear."

                                                                                                *************************** 

        McGonagall was somehow patient with me while we walked through the school, which was fairly difficult considering that I kept stopping and staring at things and asking her questions and freaking out because of the ghosts. There were apparently a ton of ghosts at the school, and I got to meet one named the Red Baron and one named Nearly-Headless Nick. Turns out you can be nearly headless. Who knew?  
        “This is the Great Hall,” McGonagall informed me and I peered in through the massive doors to see probably the most interesting room I had ever seen. The ceiling looked like the sky, making it hard to believe it was the ceiling at all; there were thousands of lit candles floating in the air in place of chandeliers, shining light down on the four extremely long tables with students sitting and watching a different long table. This table was running perpendicular to the other four, and I knew instantly that the people sitting at it were the teachers. There was someone who looked so massive that I thought he was a giant, several human looking people, and a tiny man that looked almost like a dwarf or goblin. There was an empty seat for McGonagall, and next to that was a petite woman wearing all pink in contrast to the otherwise all black outfits of the other teachers. I instantly took a strong disliking to her.  
        Standing in front of the table and speaking to all of the students was a tall man with long white hair and a long white beard, with crescent moon shaped spectacles on the end of his nose and a large, pointed hat. Next to him was a stool, with an old hat sitting on it; looked almost like it had a face, which made me curious. The man was speaking animatedly to the students, about how he welcomed them all back, and I noticed that he – as well as all of the other teachers – was looking at McGonagall and me.  
         I tore my gaze from the spectacle in front of me and looked up at her, “Do we have to go in there?” I asked, a silent plea in my voice so that we didn’t: as soon as I stepped in I knew that the students would be staring.  
        “Come along, all of the first years have already been sorted: now it’s your turn, dear,” she stepped into the Great Hall and I teetered in the doorway for a moment before following silently behind her, wishing I was invisible.  
        “Ah, welcome Professor McGonagall,” the white haired man in the front announced, beginning a round of applause, and everyone who didn’t already see us turned and stared. I instantly knew that my face was bright red and I focused on the floor rather than look at everyone else. “Students,” the man continued, “I am pleased to inform you that we have one final addition to the student roster: Evelyn Odessa. She will be joining us as a fifth year student, so I would greatly appreciate everyone making her feel at home with us.”  
        “Luck, dear,” Professor McGonagall whispered to me before taking her place amongst the other teachers.  
        The man smiled down at me, “I am Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts. I am terribly sorry that you are only just now making your debut at the school rather than when you were eleven.”  
        I shrugged, ignoring the eyes of the students behind me, “Better late than never.”  
        “Right you are,” he chuckled, “Now, I suppose you would like to know which house you’re going to be in?”  
        Immediately my palms were sweaty and I wished that Nevar were with me again: she’d had to fly off since she wasn’t allowed to come in here with us. I stepped forward and Dumbledore lifted the hat off of the stool. I watched it with interest and Dumbledore nodded his head at the stool for me to sit, which I did, and was met with hundreds of different faces of students. Each one was just as curious about me as the last, but I found Harry, Ron, and Hermione amongst them and they all gave me thumbs up. I took a deep breath and the hat was placed on my head.  
        “ _You are a tricky one,_ ” a voice said, sounding like it was coming from all around me, “ _Cunning like Slytherin; brave, like Gryffindor; intelligent like Ravenclaw… but where to put you? Hmm… You are sly, you are… Very intelligent… Loyal to your friends… and you’re willing to do anything for victory. I think I know just where to put you…_ ” the voice trailed away and I looked around, refusing to make eye contact with any of the students there.  
        “Slytherin!” the hat yelled, and I jumped, nearly making the hat fall off of my head. Dumbledore pulled it off and applauded as well as the Slytherin table. I noticed that Draco was sitting at the table clapping along with everyone else, but he smirked at me.  
        I hopped down and went to sit at the table, attempting not to sit next to everyone else but being crowded as soon as I was seated anyway because I was the “interesting” new girl. I avoided gazes by watching Dumbledore announce a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher: Dolores Umbridge. The small pink lady stood and I narrowed my eyes at her as she glared at all of the students with a smile on her face. In a voice dripping with honey she said, “I hope that we all are going to be good, very good friends.”  
        I rolled my eyes and muttered, “Not if my life depended on it.”  
        Her eyes lingered on me, no doubt having seen me say something, and her eyes narrowed before she addressed her smile back at the rest of the students and sat back down. Dumbledore smiled at everyone and spread his arms out wide, “And now, we feast!”  
        My eyes widened at all of the food that was laid across the table, and I was so taken aback by all of it that I didn’t even notice when people started grabbing stuff and throwing it onto their plates. There were several different kinds of meat, tons of different fruits and vegetables, candies, cakes, pies, and other side items. People were stacking a ton of food onto their plates left and right, and I watched in wonder as they continuously grabbed more and more. I looked farther down the table and saw that Draco was watching me with interest, which made me blush and instantly avert my gaze back to the food in front of me. I reached out and grabbed an apple and began nibbling at it, not very hungry because of nerves.  
        I turned and looked over at the Gryffindor table and saw Harry wave at me, followed by Ron and Hermione, and I waved back hesitantly. I wasn’t in the same house as them, rather I was in the house with the guy I’d called a douche. The evening could only progress from there. Right? 


	4. Nightmares and Daydreams

        “Evelyn Odessa, Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, Hermione Granger, and Harry Potter, please report to Headmaster Dumbledore’s office immediately.”  
        I nearly leapt for joy as I separated myself from the group of Slytherins who were talking to me and trying to get me to tell them everything about who I was: I’d been trying to get away from these people since the feast had started and I’d been unsuccessful since they had to show me around the school and our common room. Draco came up behind me with a girl who I assumed was Pansy Parkinson, and they both kept purposely bugging me.  
        “So, you’re in our grade but you don’t even know how to do anything?” Draco asked, which got a giggle from Pansy.  
        “Draco, Evelyn is in our house: she’s part of the family now; we have to take care of our own,” she said, elbowing him.  
        I sighed, “It’s Raine, actually.”  
        “Oh, that’s a pretty name. I’m Pansy Parkinson,” she smiled at me sweetly and I smiled back against my will: she had one of those smiles that you just had to return.  
        “Raine!”  
        I looked behind us and saw Harry and Hermione running up to us. I smiled, “Hey, guys.”  
        “So, you’re a Slytherin, huh?” Harry asked, seeming a bit upset about it.  
        “Obviously, Potter, she is,” Draco said sarcastically, “Or are you so daft that you couldn’t figure it out?”  
        “Back off, Malfoy,” he growled and pushed passed him to walk next to me. Hermione followed suit but was much nicer about it and didn’t push.  
        “I don’t see why the two of you have been asked to come to Dumbledore’s office,” Draco said, “The Boy Who Didn’t Die and a filthy Mudblood?”  
        Harry turned and whipped out his wand, Draco doing the same, and I put my hands up and forcefully lowered both of them, “Guys, seriously? Knock it off,” I ordered, and miraculously they both listened, “Besides, what do you mean by what you said?”  
        Draco smiled, “That’s right, you’re from America, aren’t you? You don’t know about him. That’s a bit of a relief,” he joked, “But Mudblood is a universal word: why wouldn’t you know about it?”  
        I shrugged, “I didn’t even know that I was a witch until a couple of days ago,” I admitted, and Draco widened his eyes.  
        “Are you one too?” he seemed absolutely flabbergasted.  
        I didn’t know why, but I was suddenly extremely offended, “Um, I’m not sure. What is a Mudblood?”  
        “A very foul word for a witch or wizard that has muggle parents,” Hermione spoke up, ticked at Draco, “A muggle, in case you don’t know, is a non magical person.”  
        My heart fell: I didn’t even know if I was or not. Over the course of my life I’d lived with at least twenty different foster homes, and three different orphanages. I never knew my parents, being that I’d been left on a doorstep of an orphanage in London when I was an infant and had been taken to America only a few days later. “So,” Draco began, “Are you?”  
        “I don’t fucking know, asshole!” I yelled, shoving passed him and continuing to walk in the direction that we had been before.  
        “You didn’t have to be a jerk, Malfoy,” Harry said, walking after me with Hermione.  
        “Seriously, Draco?” Pansy said, “You might not like it but she’s one of us: you should treat her like it.”  
        “What did I do?” he asked, and Hermione turned the corner in front of me so I followed. My eyes widened as I saw the spiral staircase that she and Harry began taking: it was beautiful in an elegant way.  
        “Ah, welcome, welcome,” Dumbledore said at the top with a smile, making him look years younger, “I’m sure that you’re all wondering why you’re here…?”  
        No one was saying anything, waiting for him to continue, but I decided to speak up, “Is it safe to make the assumption that this has something to do with my tutoring?”  
        “Ah, I see what the Sorting Hat was talking about,” there was a mischievous twinkle in his eye as he smiled at me. “You would have made a good Ravenclaw. Still, it is obvious that Slytherin was the best choice. But yes, Ms. Odessa, you are at least partially correct. I have chosen some of the best students from the main courses to tutor you. Ms. Granger is the top student, so she will be helping you with transfiguration and charms. Is that alright with you, Hermione?”  
        Hermione nodded happily, smiling at me while Dumbledore continued. “Right, now, Mr. Potter is the best in his class for Defense Against the Dark Arts, so as long as it’s alright with him…”  
        “I’d love to tutor Raine, Professor,” Harry said, nodding.  
        “Good, good; now, Mr. Malfoy is the best potions student, having high recommendations from Professor Snape. So long as he is fine with it, he—”  
        “I’ll tutor her,” Draco said with a smirk as I rolled my eyes.  
        “Excellent,” Dumbledore nodded, “Which brings me to my next statement. Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Parkinson: since the two of you are already here, I figured I would give you both the good news. Congratulations, you are the prefects for Slytherin house.”  
        Harry and Hermione looked irritated but Draco and Pansy were both ecstatic. I was confused. “Um, what’s a prefect?”  
        “A prefect, my dear, is the head boy and girl from each house,” Dumbledore informed me, and I nodded as if I understood, which I most definitely didn’t.  
        “Professor, can Draco and I take Raine to show her the Slytherin common room?” Pansy asked sweetly.  
        “Of course, of course, the three of you may go ahead; I have to speak with these two alone,” he indicated to Harry and Hermione and I couldn’t help but notice that Draco had a scowl on his face as we walked out and back down the staircase.  
        "You're going to love it," Pansy was saying, and I couldn't help but hope that she was talking about not only the common room but everything else in Hogwarts as well.

 

                                                                                 ********************

 

        “You mean it’s behind a wall?”  
         Draco sighed, “Evelyn, I’ve told you four times now: the Slytherin common room is behind this wall. We say a password and—”  
        “Don’t call me Evelyn,” I groaned, “It’s Raine, okay?”  
        “Why can’t I call you Evelyn?” he smiled.  
        “Just don’t,” I snapped.  
        “Alright, fine, no need to be pissy,” he teased, stepping up to the wall. I crossed my arms, pretending not to be interested in what he was doing, but extremely curious nonetheless.  
        “Pureblood,” Draco said to the wall, and my eyes widened as the bricks began rearranging themselves to reveal a large, green tinted room. There were tons of green shaded chairs and couches, elegant wooden tables with beautiful designs etched into the legs; the main décor was skulls, but not enough to be overpowering. The walls were stone and had many different Slytherin styled pictures and tapestries.  
        Apparently I had let out a gasp because Draco began laughing, “That’s how I was when I first saw the common room.”  
        “Like the lighting?” Pansy asked, “Our house is located under the lake. Er, mostly all the way under. That makes the lighting take on a green tinge.”  
        “It’s beautiful…” I whispered, following the two of them into the room. There were a few other students lounging around – one was reading a book that was growling at him – and all of them looked up curiously when we entered.  
        “Crabbe, Goyle,” Draco said, nodding at two of the boys. They were both rather large, and looked pretty crude. “This is Evelyn.”  
        “Raine,” I corrected, cutting my eyes to Draco before smiling at the two of them, “Nice to meet you.”  
        “See?” one that was slightly taller than the other one said, “I told you she was American.”  
        “Goyle shut up,” Draco ordered, “Before you make a fool of yourself.”  
        Goyle grumbled something and the two of them walked away, going up some stairs in the back of the room. Pansy smiled at me, “Do you want to see where you’ll be sleeping?”  
        I nodded, watching Draco follow Crabbe and Goyle, before following Pansy up stairs on the other side of the room. I was met with a beautiful wooden door at the top of the stairs, and as soon as I opened it my mouth dropped, “Wow,” I uttered, looking around at all of the different bunks. Each was a little different than the last, and each housed a different person. There were a few empty ones farther into the room, and as I stepped farther in I saw that each of them had green colored blankets and pillows. Upon further inspection, each one had elegant cursive etched into the center pillow that read a name. The one closest to me said “Elizabeth” and another one read “Pansy” but as soon as I walked closer to it the letters rearranged themselves, forming curves and swirls to say “Evelyn”.  I groaned and said, “It’s Raine…”  
        As soon as I said that the letters rearranged themselves again, forming “Raine”.  I raised my eyebrows and looked over at Pansy, who was laughing, “What’s so funny?”  
        “You,” she joked, and I smirked.  
        “Why did my name take the place of yours?”  
        “Prefects don’t stay here,” she informed me, looking around, “We have our own room. I kind of wish we didn’t, though: I used to love hanging out with my friends here. It’s like home, you know?”  
        I frowned, not able to understand her feelings, but nodded anyway. I’d never had that feeling of being home anywhere before. Pansy didn’t notice that I wasn’t smiling anymore, “You should start getting ready for bed. We have to go to classes tomorrow after breakfast,” she told me as she walked off to go do her ‘prefect duties’.  
        I ignored the stares and whispers from the other girls who were already in bed, laying down, but could feel their gazes on me, making my skin crawl and making beads of sweat form on the back of my neck. I tried to not think about it too much and slipped on my nightshirt over my clothes, maneuvering to take off my clothes underneath it until I was in nothing but my underwear and the shirt that went to my knees. I climbed into bed and instantly was met with the softest sheets I’d ever felt. My head rested on the satin pillow that formed around my head, almost giving me a hug, and I could feel my eyelids become incredibly heavy. The lights dimmed around me, and I heard a few girls still whispering, but all of the noise tuned itself out after a moment, and I fell deeply into sleep.  
   
                                                                                                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
         _“Evelyn, do the dishes_ properly _this time.”_  
         _“Yes, sir,” I mumbled, turning on the water and reaching in to grab one of the cups that smelled of sour milk. I felt his rough hands on my arm, almost making me drop the glass, and I was turned to stare into his dead black eyes._  
         _“You do remember what happened last time, correct?” he questioned with harsh words, and I refrained from shuddering in remembrance of the night a week ago to the day, when I didn’t use hot enough water and there was a pizza stain left on one of the glass plates. He had thrown the plate at me, cutting my stomach, and made me clean my blood up before his dinner guest had gotten there. I nodded in fear, feeling the tug on my stomach where the scar was, and managed to stutter out, “Y-yes, sir…”_  
         _I watched as he leaned over me and turned the water to as hot as it could go, “If I come back in here and it isn’t this hot, I swear I will—”_  
         _“It will be,” I interrupted and was instantly backhanded hard enough to send me staggering backwards into the counter. I tried to apologize but he grabbed my jaw, “Interrupt me again, and you won’t get a chance to apologize.”_  
         _He released me and stalked over to the fridge, grabbing a beer, and went into the other room so he could watch TV. I could feel tears forming in my eyes and blinked them away, swallowing the knot of tears in order to keep them from bursting out and making me look weak. I had been with Mr. Johnson for a few months now, and at the beginning there had been a Mrs. Johnson, but after that first week was over she kind of disappeared. Mr. Johnson went from being polite to being pure evil in my eyes, and I was scared to death of him and what he might do to me if I were to try to get away from him._  
         _I turned my attention back to what was in front of me and grabbed the sponge, scrubbing away at the milk stained glass. I stuck it under the water and jerked my hand away from it: it was scalding, and my skin was already red from barely touching it. I reached over to turn it a little cooler, but remembered what Mr. Johnson said and slowly moved my hand back. I looked back towards the door, hearing the football game playing loudly to drown out the sound of the water running, and determined that turning it back a tad bit wouldn’t be that bad._  
         _About thirty minutes later each dish was clean and drying on the counter, and the glasses were all sparkling like in the commercials. I was proud of myself, having checked and double-checked everything twice, and I knew that Mr. Johnson couldn’t have anything bad to say about it._  
 _As soon as I thought about him I heard his heavy footfalls and sidestepped away from the counter, giving him full viewing of the clean dishes. I focused on his eyes as his eyes focused on the dishes, and while he watched the shine I watched his emotions travel from anger to pure rage. I widened my eyes and backed up against the wall, and Mr. Johnson stormed over to the sink, turning on the water and feeling it. He rounded on me with pitch black eyes, “What the Hell did I tell you?” He grabbed my arm and yanked me roughly back to the sink, thrusting my hand under the lukewarm water, “Does this feel hot to you? No, it doesn’t.”_  
         _“I-I’m sorry, I-I just t-thought—”_  
         _“No, you’re not sorry: not yet,” I tried to squirm out of his grip but he tightened his fist around my arm and placed the other one around my neck. I immediately began to hyperventilate, which was hard since my throat was forcefully constricted, and Mr. Johnson walked with long strides into the hallway, opening the closet door._  
         _Once I realized what he was doing I fought back harder, kicking and attempting to scream, but he pushed me into the dark closet, making me knock my head into the wall. “NO!” I screamed, clawing at the now closed and locked door, “PLEASE, LET ME OUT!!” I was crying and I couldn’t see anything because of how dark the tiny closet was. My breathing became rapid and I could feel my body shaking uncontrollably, “Please…” I whispered, hoping beyond hope that I could get out and get as far away from this madman as possible._  
         _“Raine!”_  
        “NO!” I screamed, but it came out muffled and broken. A sob reverberated through my body as I thrust myself upwards, staring down at the soaking wet pillows and blanket. It took me a moment to remember that I was in Hogwarts in the Slytherin house, and it took even longer to realize that Pansy was calling my name, not Mr. Johnson. I covered my mouth with my hand and tried to control my breathing, refusing to look at the walls that were moving ever closer to me in the corners of my eyes.  
        “Raine, it was just a nightmare,” Pansy whispered, sitting next to me, “Do you want to talk about it?”  
        I shook my head fast and squeezed my eyes shut. I couldn’t talk about my past, couldn’t travel down those dark memories that tainted my very existence. It would unravel me entirely.


	5. Friends vs Enemies

         In total, it took about half an hour for me to calm down enough to figure out that Pansy was trying to get me up to go to the breakfast before classes began. While I got dressed she informed me that other girls wanted to wake me but that I was screaming so much that they were unable to and had to resort to getting their prefect. "I am so sorry," I said for the millionth time, which got a smile out of Pansy.  
        "There isn't any reason to apologize, Raine," she told me, "You were having a nightmare. You weren't in control of your emotions. Or your voice."  
        I sighed and stood, having sat down on the edge of my bed in order to put my shoes on. Pansy nodded approvingly of my uniform, which confused me since it looked exactly like everyone else's, including hers, "Come on, Raine, everyone else is waiting for me to go and help Draco lead them to the Main Hall for breakfast."  
        "You... you didn't have to wait for me."  
        "It was the least I could do, Raine," she smiled, misinterpreting my mild irritation for modest gratitude. "After all, you're new."  
        I gave a half smile, walking along behind her and wishing that I wasn't "new", that I didn't need help. I didn't want someone to dote upon me and trail along after me, ensuring that I wasn't getting into danger or doing anything I wasn't supposed to. Er, well, walking in front of me, as was currently the case. I didn't like it, but I wasn't grateful for Pansy. I wasn't. I hated the fact that I wasn't, but I couldn't change that. I wanted to let Pansy know that I didn't need as much help as she was dishing out, but I had no idea how to get my point across: my thoughts were stars that I couldn't fathom into constellations.   
        I opened my mouth to let Pansy know... something involving all of that, but she cut me a smile, "Draco has been waiting for you. He's worried."  
        "About what?" I practically snapped in confusion, my voice channeling out my disbelief for the simple words 'he's worried'. What could he posibly be worried about?  
        "Well, your, um, screaming was... pretty loud, and, um, people do like to talk..."  
        I groaned and rolled my eyes, which got a disapproving frown out of Pansy. "Look, Raine, I think you're taking this the wrong way," she said, crossing her arms in front of the door that led to the stairway back down to the main room, "It's really sweet of him to care enough about the new girl that he would be willing to talk to anyone and everyone who saw what happened."  
        "But nothing happened, I was dreaming," I pointed out, the little voice in the back of my head whispering the word  _remembering.  
        _"Still," she sighed, tilting her head to the side and wrapping her arms around her, "What I wouldn't give to have that boy worry about me like that."  
        My shoulders sagged: of course. Of course this would be happening. One of the only people that I thought was pretty cool turns out to be one of those prissy, overly dramatic, "swooners", some of the only people that I loathed in the world. Her look, her speach, hell even her  _breath_  was dripping with the sass, the flair, the drama. I did my best not to growl at her, waiting patiently while she composed herself, fluffed her hair, and walked out the door. I shook my head and followed, but I was beginning to worry: if I had managed to pick the wrong type of girl to befriend, what were Harry, Ron, and Hermione really like?  
        Thankfully I wasn't given the time to worry. Well, considering the reason, maybe I wasn't as thankful as I might've wanted to be. As soon as I got down the stairs all talking in the room ceased immediately, every single head swiveling to get a glance at me. My breathing accelerated with my heart, the walls sinking closer and closer to me, and I resisted the urge to run back up the stairs and find Nevar, who no doubt was going to be pissed at me later for not stroking her beautiful feathers and smothering her in compliments. Instead of running away I straightened my posture and walked forward, avoiding looking at the walls; I walked straight through the group and found Draco at the front, Pansy already standing next to him. Draco graced me with a smile, throwing me off of my game -- I mean seriously? Why the Hell did he have to be so damn good looking? -- and adressed the group, "Alright everyone, follow Parkinson and I to the Main Hall. You had all better have your school items because I am not about to waltz back in here to accompany you to grab your belongings."  
        There were a lot of half hearted nods and one boy broke off from the group to run back and grab something, but I looked over at Pansy, "Uh... I don't have anything."  
        She smiled, "Our Head of House actually told us that he would be speaking with you after breakfast, so I'm assuming that he'll give you everything then."  
        I instantly was swimming in questions about anything and everything involving our house, our Head of House, and them since they were prefects, but I decided that I didn't want to open that can of worms just yet and kept my mouth shut. Pansy stepped forward, the wall automatically making way for her, and Draco followed suit before looking back at me and grinning mischievously, "You coming, Evelyn?"  
        I sighed, "It's Raine," I corrected, but followed anyway. The borderline thunderous sound of feet from my fellow Slytherins began behind me, letting me know that everyone was coming as well, but talking hadn't started back up just yet. I heard a few whispers, the word freak traveling by breath to slither through my mind, and I picked up my pace, not allowing myself to be caught up in the drama that was no doubt caused by my mere presence in the house. Draco and Pansy were both laughing about something Draco had said, Pansy's laughter a bit too forced, but I refused to acknowlede anyone, rather choosing to focus on the scenery around me. The walls were dark, but as we walked they gradually shifted to lighter browns. There were hundreds of candles littering the walls, their flickering light providing us with our light source that made the shadows around us dance to their silent music. Every aspect of the building itself breathed magic, and I couldn't help but get excited as I thought about the fact that I would be there for an entire year.  
        I fiddled with my wand, anxious to try to do some magic of my own, but at the same time I was worried: I was new here. I literally had no idea what types of spells would be used, let alone what I was capable of pulling off. Would I walk up to a hat, flick my wand above it, shout "Abracadabra!" and have a dove fly out of it? I snickered at the thought.  
        The corridor opened up to reveal probably the largest staircase I had ever seen, and I remembered seeing it just in front of the Main Hall, which meant that we were there. I looked passed Draco and Pansy and saw the large doors that led to the room, my palms unnaturally sweaty all of a sudden. I was anxious: today was my first day for classes, and that was after I ate. If I could even manage to down something without it making a reappearance.  
        I followed Draco and Pansy inside, everyone in Slytherin house following behind, and I noticed that parts of the other houses were there but that none of them had the entire house with them. I furrowed my eyebrows, "Draco, do you guys always force us all to be here at the same time?"  
        "What?" he asked, looking around, "Yeah, this was just for the first day. First years will need some help figuring out where everything is," he flashed me another mischievous smile, "That includes you, Evelyn."  
        "Raine," I corrected, refusing to allow him to get any emotion from me. There was no doubt that he was only doing that to get me to be irritated. Of course, I was, but I wasn't about to show him that.  
        While everyone sat down, my gaze traveled over all of the students at the other tables until I found Hermione, Harry, and Ron. I left the Slytherin table and made my way over to them, ignoring the angry looks being shot at me from Pansy and no doubt Draco as well. Hermione smiled as I approached, "Raine."  
        "Hey, guys," I said, "Quick question: does everyone necessarily have to sit with their house, or can we sit wherever?"  
        Hermione and Ron looked at eachother but Harry answered, "No, you can sit here if you want. There aren't really any actual rules about it."  
        "Great," I smiled, sitting next to Ron and across from Harry and Hermione. I saw Harry scowl at something behind me, and I turned to see Draco walking over to us. "Evelyn, what are you doing?"  
        "Raine," I corrected yet again before saying, "Sitting with my friends. What does it look like I'm doing?"  
        "You aren't allowed to sit with other houses," he smirked, his eyes cutting to Harry who was seething with anger.  
        "She can sit wherever she wants to, Malfoy," Harry practically growled.  
        "Can it, Potter," Draco snapped, "I'm a prefect, remember?"  
        Harry was about to say something but he was cut off by a petite, high pitched voice, "I'm afraid Mr. Malfoy is correct."  
        I turned to see that dreadful, toadlike woman in all pink standing behind me with a tight lipped smile aimed at me, "While there are no written rules explaining this exact situation, it is highly recommended that students remain with their houses."  
        I narrowed my eyes, "Exactly: it's a recommendation. No written rules. Therefore, I cannot get into trouble for sitting at the..." I turned to Ron, "What house are you guys again?"  
        "Gryffindor," he said, looking awestruck.  
        "Right. Therefore, I cannot get into trouble for sitting at the Gryffindor table," I looked back at the woman, "And you can't do anything about it, correct?"  
        For a moment she lost her vaguely innocent, partially vacant expression of superiority and a look of pure loathing and anger settled over her features. She looked like she wanted to kill me until her innocent expression returned, which honestly made her look that much more evil and vile, "Not at the moment," she admitted, smiling with pearly white teeth that reminded me of a shark. Her words seemed almost like a threat, but I refused to humor her and move. Instead I turned back around and looked at Harry and Hermione, who both were looking like Ron in the "awestruck" department. "What?" I asked.  
        "You..." Harry muttered, looking surprised.  
        "You're brilliant," Hermione smiled brightly, and I couldn't help but smile while I watched the woman walk away and up to the teacher's table. She passed Professor McGonagal, hushed words shared between them, and McGonagal looked at me with a somewhat proud smile. I turned back to Hermione, who said, "You're more than welcome to sit with us as long as you want."  
        "Thanks, Hermione."  
        "You have got to be kidding," Draco scoffed, and I looked behind me at him to see that he looked revulted that I was still sitting where I was. I smiled innocently, "When you get back to the table, can you let Pansy know that I'll catch up with her later? Oh, and tell her thank you again for me."  
        Draco seemed to understand that I had basically just dismissed him and he looked pissed, but he stalked off anyway. "You are my new hero," Ron laughed, "No one can get rid of Malfoy as easily as that."  
        I shrugged, "Maybe it's because he's in my house?"  
        Harry narrowed his eyes in Draco's direction, "No, I don't think it's that..." I wanted to ask what he thought it was then, but out of the corner of my eye I saw the woman in pink discussing something with the Headmaster. She kept shooting looks in my direction, and I wanted to know what she was saying. I focused on the Headmaster's lips as he responded to her, and I could just make out that he said "her Head of House". Or at least I assumed that was what was said. I couldn't tell for sure. In any case, I had just managed to piss off both of my prefects and a teacher, not to mention that my entire house was freaked out as well. I couldn't help but feel that I had just made at least one, possibly three, new enemies.   
        And it was only breakfast.


	6. Experiments

        "Wow, you can put food away really fast..." I mumbled, watching Ron grab more and more of everything, mainly the sausage. That boy could eat.  
        "Ronald is always hungry," Hermione said, somewhat disapprovingly, but I could tell by the way she looked at him and quickly looked at anything else, namely her hands, I had a feeling that she was hiding her real feelings behind her irriation. I half smiled, looking down at my empty plate: I wanted to eat since I hadn't eaten anything really yesterday, but I was so anxious and nervous that I was scared that I wouldn't be able to hold it down. Harry noticed, "I know that this isn't really going to help much, but you don't need to be nervous. You'll end up enjoying it, I promise."  
        I took a deep breath, "Yeah, I probably will..."  
        "But...?" Harry coaxed.  
        "But," I allowed, "I just... I just, like... I don't know where I'm going with this. I severely hope that I don't make a fool of myself."  
        "You won't make a fool of yoursel. I can tell," Hermione said before taking a drink of orange juice. I was about to say some witty comment to that but I got distracted by the fact that people were leaving, on their way to unknown classrooms and teachers, all of whom had already left as well. Instantly my nervousness kicked up a few notches. Harry, Ron, and Hermione all started standing, so I stood as well, but as soon as I did a hand touched my shoulder, causing me to jump and knock over a pitcher of water. Draco laughed, making me realize that he was the one who'd touched me. I shot him a look that could kill, "What, Draco?"  
        He smirked and shook his head, "You have a meeting with the Head of Slytherin House."  
        "Oh," I said, my voice much quieter than I had hoped. My nerves were completely shot, forcing my voice to be weak. I cleared my throat, "Well, thank you, Draco. Where am I supposed to--?"  
        "Follow me and I'll take you to him," he interrupted, "This way," he gestured, and watched as I stepped passed him and towards the direction he'd indicated. He followed close behind me, touching my right shoulder lightly as I stepped out of the doors in order to show me that I was supposed to turn to the right. As I did Draco's body brushed against mine; he placed his left hand gently on my left shoulder and gestured with his right hand, "That door at the bottom of those stairs is where you'll find him," I followed where his finger was pointing, attempting to focus on the door rather than the spark that was shooting from his body into mine. I nodded, glancing at him quickly to see that his grey eyes were aimed at my face, and after a moment of him watching me he backed away, leaving emptiness where his body had just been, "Well," he cleared his throat, straightening his posture and flashing me one of those devilish smirks that he seemed to be fond of, "I'll see you in class, Evelyn."   
        I opened my mouth to correct him yet again but he was already walking away, joining up with Crabbe and Goyle, so I slowly closed it again. I took a deep breath and took three long strides to the door, my hand faultering for a moment before knocking. From inside I heard a man call out, "It is open," and I took one more breath, opening the door as I did.   
        My eyes were not prepared for all that I saw in that instant: there were hundreds upon hundreds of viles filled with strange liquids arranged on shelves adjacent to the door, a jar of what looked vaguely like eyeballs sitting amongst them; a bottle labled "bat spleens" was on a shelf above a small box labled "bzoars"; there was a desk farther into the room, with stacks of papers and various objects that I didn't have a name for. The entire room was darkly lit, giving off an eerie feeling. A tall man in black robes with shoulder length, greasy hair and a pale complection was watching me take everything in with his arms crossed. He was one of the teachers I had seen sitting at the Head table. "Ms. Odessa, I presume?"  
        "Uh, yeah, yes," I muttered, noticing that while he was standing straight I was slouching. I immediately fixed that, "You, um, must be the Head of Slytherin House...?"  
        "I am Professor Snape," he gave a slight bow, his dark eyes not once leaving mine, "Yes, I am  the Head of Slytherin, and the potions teacher. I will be in charge of helping you with basically everything," I tried to look respectful as he spoke, but his voice was one of those permanently condescending ones that reminded me of the owner of an orphanage I had once stayed at. He ended up kicking me out after a week because I was one of his least favorite people, and he called me The One Unworthy To Be Aquainted With An Institute As Upstanding As His. I wasn't disappointed to be out of there.  
        The corner of Professor Snape's mouth twitched as he watched my eyes, which almost made me think that I had accidentally spoken alloud about what I was remembering. Almost as soon as I thought that he spoke again, "I am to determine if you are deemed fit enough to go to classes today, or if you should wait a week or two in order to get somewhat caught up. Personally I don't believe that you are fit enough, nor do I think that you will ever manage to get caught up. Therefore, you are to go to classes, then get tutored after. Unfortunately for you you will be missing out on extracurricular activities."  
        "Uh... okay?" I didn't really know how to respond to him. He seemed like the kind of guy that wasn't necessarilly bad or anything, just he seemed a bit... rude, harsh, irritated, and bored. Snape turned around and walked over to a shelf, brushing his finger along on some of the items there, "Do you know anything about the wizarding world?"  
        "I know that there is a school for witchcraft and wizardry," I replied instantly, which got him to shake his head slightly, "But other than that, no."  
        "This is going to take a while," Snape mumbled, rubbing the bridge of his nose, until he seemed to get an idea, "Unless..." he turned to face me completely, looking me up and down, "Yes, that might work."  
        I involuntarily took a step back, "Um, what?"  
        "Come along, child," he walked briskly to the door, holding it open and looking back at me: I hadn't moved an inch. "Well? What are you waiting for?"  
        Hesitantly I stepped through the door, "Uh, Professor, where are we going?"  
        Even in excitement, Snape looked permanently disappointed, which made me wonder why he was like that. He walked forward, not bothering to look at me while he answered, "We are getting the Headmaster's permission for an experiment."  
        "Oh," I responded quietly, unsure as to how I should have responded. 

 

********************************

 

        "Well; what do you think about the idea proposed?" Dumbledoor asked me, genuinely wanting to know my answer. I had been sitting quietly, with my legs crossed at the ankles and twiddling my thumbs, while Snape explained the idea he had to Professor Dumbledoor. I hadn't understood all of what he was saying, nor had I honestly been paying full attention, so when Dumbledoor brought me into the conversation by asking me that question I wasn't prepared to answer.  
        "Um..." I looked down, trying not to freak out while I thought over the bits of the conversation that I had heard. Something about magic, that much I got. Words like "force", "learn", "prepare", "magic", "mind", "implant", and "memories" danced around in my head, so I said slowly, "I think that the idea... could be beneficial to me and my schoolwork... I would get caught up... faster?"  
        Snape nodded in mild approval, looking vaguely amused about something, which instantly disappeared, "Headmaster, the girl is farther behind than even the first years with muggle parents: she literally knows nothing about her gifts and talents. If we put her through a few courses in her mind, not only will she get caught up quickly, but she would be able to go to classes, get tutored, and still be able to go to sleep and eat as often as she needs."  
        Dumbledoor watched me, seeming to size me up while he pondered the situation. Finally, after a few minutes, he spoke, "Very well. Evelyn, Professor Snape will use a spell in order to implant false memories in your mind, forcing you to remember learning specific things that you, in fact, have never learned. Professor Snape will actually be using memories from his learning experiences in school in order to help you get caught up."  
        And then suddenly I was terrified: what had I signed on for? "Will I know afterwards that they are new memories that aren't mine?"  
        "No," Dumbledoor admitted, "Which could be a concern... You will believe that... hmm... Any thoughts on the matter, Professor?"  
        Snape nodded, "She will end up believing that while she was here we taught her specific things, turned back time with a Time Turner, and allowed her to go to her first class having learned enough to get her by for the first day. After my class with her, since I am her class just before lunch, I will implant more memories of us teaching her. I would just do all at once, but there are... many different problems with that."  
        "Oh," I breathed, glad that I hadn't eaten that morning or else I would have thrown it all up.  
        "Are you ready, dear?" Dumbledoor asked me kindly.  
        I blinked, sitting in Dumbledoor's chair, with Snape next to me and putting something into his pocket. Dumbledoor had just asked me a question. What had he said? Oh, right. "Am I ready for what?" I asked, looking between Snape and Dumbledoor.  
        "It worked," Snape stated, watching me for a moment, "Evelyn, do you remember what I told you?"  
        "Not to tell anyone that you used a Time Turner: we could get into trouble for using one of those," I nodded.  
        "Very well. You need to get to class," Snape walked with me to the door, and on the way there I stumbled a little, the room around me becoming fuzzy. He kept me from falling, "Are you alright?"  
        "Yeah," I mumbled, gripping my head as I stood normally, "You said that going back in time could cause dizziness, right?"  
        Snape smiled slightly, "Exactly."  
        "Thank you both so much for helping me," I told them both: I finally knew at least some things about magic, and I had a few spells in my mind now that I was just anxious to try out. I'd already practiced a few like  _Alohamora_ , which let me unlock a door, _Cistem Aperio_ , which let me open boxes and a chest that was sitting near Dumbledoor's desk, and  _Diffindo_ , which let me shred an old robe. I had learned tons of others that were taught normally in the first three years. I couldn't wait to learn more. I just had to get through my first day of fifth year classes beforehand.


	7. Compliments

        Since Snape was my first class of the day, I waited outside of Dumbledoor's office until they got done discussing whatever important matter they were dealing with. As I waited, I sat against the wall, watching as random ghosts and people scurried about, longing to have Nevar with me. She would have distracted me, made me feel a bit more important, and I wouldn't have been sitting there, tapping my foot in an awkward position, and wishing that I could just evaporate into mist.   
        It felt like hours before Snape emerged from Dumbledoor's office to find me sitting on the ground, my face on my knees, and holding back tears. As I stood, I refused to look at his face: I could feel him staring at me, and I was embarrassed enough as it was without throwing my teacher's criticism in the mix. Especially my Head of House. For a moment, we were both silent, and then without a word about how I looked, what was wrong, or even anything along the lines of 'suck it up', he said, "Follow me."  
        I shuffled along behind him, noticing that after a bell was sounded -- which was so sudden and unexpected that I jumped -- hordes of students of all houses scurried around, trying to find classrooms and get to their proper areas. I was so distracted by the amount of people, of watching the chaos unfold around me, that I lost track of Snape. I looked around frantically, trying to avoid looking at the walls of the hall I was in for too long for fear of them moving in closer and closer, when suddenly a hand gripped my arm and pulled me through the group of students. I watched as Snape dragged me with him, keeping me from getting lost, and wondered if he was angry or being nice. I determined that I didn't need to know either way unless he brought it up, and for a moment I thought that I saw him nod his head, as if he was agreeing with me. But that wouldn't have made any sense so I brushed it off as me being nervous and terrified of how the day would unfold.  
        "This will be your first class. It's the full length of two classes put together, so after this will be your hour for lunch. I trust that you remember where the Great Hall is located?" he said, gesturing to the door that he was standing next to.   
        I nodded, looking at the door, and he walked to it, opening it. He looked back at me, "Students aren't supposed to be here for another few minutes. If you would like, I could allow you to come in and get seated."  
        "Please, I would be very thankful."  
        "Very well," he held it open for me, and as I walked in I had another moment where my eyes weren't prepared to take in everything. It was exactly like the room I had met Snape in, but it was larger, had more things in it, and had tables and stools. I walked forward, attempting to see if there was any particular place I was supposed to sit, and Snape beat me to it, "I would prefer it if you would sit at the front of the class, Miss Odessa."  
        "Oh, okay..." my voice trailed off as I heard voices outside of the door. I turned to see if I should open it or anything, but Snape told me to sit down at the front so I did, finding a cauldron sitting in front of me. I heard Snape open the door, and suddenly the room was being filled with other students. I turned to see that Draco was among the group, and as I saw him he saw me. He smiled, flashing perfectly kept teeth at me, and went to sit at the table behind me along with a boy I hadn't seen before. I smiled, forgetting that I was supposed to be at least somewhat irritated with him, and looked back at the door again to see Harry and Ron enter the classroom. They both smiled at me, Harry looking irritated about something, and they both took a seat at the table to the right of Hermione and a girl I didn't know.  
        "Settle down," Snape said as he shut the door, but the room was already silent so there really wasn't much need for it. He went over to his desk, turning to look at all of the students, "Before we begin today's lesson, I think it appropriate to remind you that next June you will be sitting an important examination, during which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions. Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an 'Acceptable' on your O.W.L., or suffer my... displeasure," my mind was reeling, focusing on the whole 'examination' thing. What was an O.W.L.? Snape continued, "After this year, of course, many of you will cease studying with me. I take only the very best into my N.E.W.T. Potions class, which means that some of us will certainly be saying good-bye."  
        This time Snape turned his eyes to Harry, a smirk on his face, and I glanced back to see that Harry was glaring rather angrily in return. I had a feeling I had missed something. Of course, I had missed a whole five years, and already they were talking about exams. I was starting to think that maybe going to the school was a bad thing.   
        "But we have another year to go before that happy moment of farewell," said Snape softly, "so whether you are intending to attempt N.E.W.T or not, I advise all of you to concentrate your efforts upon maintaining the high-pass level I have come to expect from my O.W.L. students. Today we will be mixing a potion that often comes up at Ordinary Wizarding Level: the Draught of Peace, a potion to calm anxiety and agitation," his eyes lingered on me, and I had a moment of realization that he knew exactly how bad my anxiety and stress was, "Be warned: if you are too heavy handed with the ingredients you will put the drinker into a heavy and sometimes irreversible sleep so you will need to pay close attention to what you are doing. The ingredients and method," Snape flicked his wand, making letters appear on the board, "are on the board, you will find everything you need," he flicked his wand again, making a cupboard open, "in the store cupboard, you have an hour and a half... Start."  
        And there was that pesky anxiety again. I immediately began to panic, and I hopped up from my seat just as the entire room ran for the cupboard. I stared at the board, not understanding anything I was reading, but decided to just... wing it. I waited a moment until the majority of the people were away from the cupboard before approaching it, only to find that Draco was walking towards me with all of the ingredients. "Here," he said, "I got double everything to help you out since you've never done anything like this before."  
        "Wow, thank you Draco," I said, helping him set everything down on my table. He went back to his as I started rummaging through everything, noticing the labels and comparing them to the notes on the board. "Hmm..." I mumbled, looking back and forth from the ingredients to the instructions. It was set up just like a cook book would be, which was something I was familiar with. I looked down at where the fire should be produced at, and I realized with a frown that I had no idea how to start it up. I began looking around at other people who were doing theirs, and I noticed that their wands were being used to light them. I turned to Draco, who was looking at me with an amused expression. Without saying anything he pulled his wand out and mumbled something, aimed at the bottom of my cauldron, and suddenly there was fire under it. I said my thanks and began setting to work doing as the instructions said. I turned everything the amount of times that the board said, but as I was doing that I noticed that something didn't seem... right. I looked down at my ingredients to see that the amount of syrup of hellebore that the board said was needed was exactly one drop less than what was in the bottle. I looked back from the syrup to the cauldron, and determined that I would experiment a little bit since it was my first time and Snape couldn't get too mad at me, choosing to add that one extra drop to the cauldron. I allowed it to simmer for seven minutes, and the next thing I knew some type of silver smoke was rising from out of my cauldron. I started freaking out slightly, thinking that I had messed something up, but then Snape called out, "A light silver vapor should now be rising from your potion."  
        I smiled, happy that what I had done was correct even though I had added an extra drop of the syrup stuff, and looked around the room. Hermione's had a silver vapor, but she was looking at mine, noticing that my vapor was lighter than hers. She was looking at it like it was a mirage or something, like she didn't believe it existed, and I decided that there really wasn't much reason for me to pay much attention to it. I noticed that there were several cauldrons that didn't look like they were anything like they should have been, and I saw that Harry's and Ron's were among that category. I looked behind me at Draco's, seeing that it was just as good as Hermione's was. I looked back at mine, wondering if what I had done -- tampering with the amount of syrup -- had been wrong, but before I could think too far into it Snape came up to my cauldron. For the first time in the long day that I had known him, I saw him smile. "You have a natural talent at potions," he said, and I heard several other students gasp lightly. I heard quiet clapping, and I turned to see Draco, still amused, clapping. I tried not to giggle, attempting to give him an annoyed look, and rolled my eyes. Snape continued on through the room, checking everyone's cauldrons and occasionally saying something, until he got to Harry. "Potter, what is this supposed to be?"  
        Harry looked irritated, "The Draught of Peace."  
        "Tell me, Potter," Snape said softly, "Can you read?"  
        Draco laughed, and I shot him a look, slightly shaking my head. He returned my look with a look that said 'what did I do?'  
        "Yes, I can," Harry muttered, and I noticed that his grip on his wand tightened.   
        "Read the third line of the instructions for me, Potter."  
        I pierced my lips, looking down. I could see that what he had done wrong was that he hadn't even added the syrup stuff which I had figured out was oh-so-important, and I began fiddling with my wand while Harry read what the instructions were. Once he was done, Snape asked, "Did you do everything on the third line, Potter?"  
        I couldn't hear his response because of how quiet he was, and Snape said, "I beg your pardon?"  
        "No," he said, still somewhat quiet but loud enough to where everyone in the room could hear. Then, just as I figured, he said, "I forgot the hellebore..."  
        "I know you did, Potter, which means that this mess is utterly worthless.  _Evanesco_."  
        I watched with wide eyes as the messed up potion in Harry's cauldron disappeared entirely, the only thing flashing through my mind being that I wanted to practice that spell. I was so focused on remembering what it was that I almost missed Snape's next part, "The only person in the room who managed to get the potion down perfectly without a hitch was Miss Odessa, and this is her first year at this school. For that, I award ten points to Slytherin."  
        Draco and several other students high fived each other, and Draco smirked at me. I didn't pay attention to what Snape said next, but as everyone started standing and collecting viles of their potions I stood and did the same, giving mine to Snape at the same time as Hermione. "Congratulations, Raine," she said sincerely, and I thanked her as I sat down. The bell to leave sounded, making me jump once more, but as I started to grab my things Snape said, "Odessa, remain here for a moment: I need to have a word with you."  
        I sighed, watching everyone else leave, Harry being the first to get out: he was extremely pissed off, and for good reason. Draco smirked at me before walking off as well, and I couldn't help but wonder why he was being so nice to me. I wasn't complaining by any means, but it was still interesting and somewhat confusing. Unfortunately I couldn't think much of it because at that moment Snape came over to me, standing so that I had to crane my neck to look at him. He looked very amused for a moment before his face settled back into his permanent scowl. "You have a knack for Potions."  
        "Well, it's basically like cooking, just with... strange ingredients..."  
        The corner of his mouth twitched, "Yes, well, are you prepared for your next tutoring session?"  
        I smiled, "Most definitely, Professor."  
        He pulled out his wand, "Be prepared that you will be learning all of this the same way you did earlier this morning, so you might experience some of the aftereffects once you're finished learning."  
        I nodded, "When do we...?" My voice trailed off, and I blinked a few times, wondering what had happened. Snape had been telling me... Oh, that's right: he taught me several things that I would have learned in my first three years that I didn't get to go over earlier, and I smiled while he put his wand away. "Never mind, I don't remember what I was going to say."  
        "Your lunch period is starting right now," he informed me, and I stood in order to leave but stumbled and fell flat on my face. Snape helped me to stand back up, sat me down in my stool again, and walked over to a cupboard, rummaging through it until he pulled out a tiny flask. He came back and handed it to me, "Drink this," he ordered, and without hesitation I did. It tasted like water. I looked up at him, blinking several times as he seemed to become three of him for a few seconds, but my sight gradually went back into normal and my head felt much better. "It helps with the aftereffects."  
        "Thank you, Professor," I stood, carefully this time, and was happy to find that everything felt normal again. I smiled, walking to the door and stepping out into the hallway. I had already learned a lot from just having one class, and I couldn't wait until my next class started. Snape had informed me that it was Divination, whatever that was, but I was still excited to go. As I walked to the Great Hall a foreboding, ominous feeling spread over me, reminding me of when I had first met Miss Hansel, the owner of the last orphanage I had been to. I saw her and I just couldn't shake the feeling that she was... terrible. That she wasn't what she seemed like. But I didn't know why. Well, I had found out three months later, when I personally had caught her in bed with one of the twelve year old boys that I lived at the orphanage with. I'd had to be the one to call CPS and the police. It was terrible.  
        I attempted to shake the feeling, but it wasn't going anywhere so I tried to ignore it, remembering how I had felt when Snape had announced that, because of my knack for Potions, Slytherin had gotten ten points. I had contributed to my house just by thinking through what I was doing. If I could do that in every class then that would be perfect. But yet, that feeling was still... there. I began to wonder if there was something wrong.  
        There was, but it wouldn't be a while until I figured it out.


	8. Divination

        I never made it to lunch. I got turned around and lost through the halls, getting distracted by the fact that the paintings were talking about me. Yes, the paintings. I hadn't noticed before surprisingly – geez, I was seriously unobservant – but the paintings all talked and moved in their portraits. After the hour was almost up, I found myself in an area where the paintings were taking naps, keeping the hallway eerily quiet, and after a moment I heard some people whispering. I walked in the general direction of the voices, peeking around the corner to find a pair of redheaded twins, completely identical and rather tall, sitting on a windowsill and gesturing to a paper sack about something. I was curious, but decided that it was none of my business, but as I turned to walk away one of them shouted out, "Oi, you! Come back around here and let us get a look at you!"          
I silently cursed, but complied, turning back and walking around the corner. They had hidden the sack and were both watching me as if I might do a back flip.  
        "A Slytherin," the one on the left said.  
        "And not just any Slytherin," the other added.  
        "The newbie," they said at the same time.  
        I was silent, watching the way they were talking to each other, and slightly nervous because of the way they had said 'a Slytherin', as if it was a dishonorable thing. I didn't know why, but I felt extremely offended. The twins smiled at the same time, "Hi, you're friends with our brother and company."  
        "Uh...?"  
        The one on the left said, "I'm Fred, and this is George."  
        The other one, George, finished, "Weasley. Ronald is our little brother."  
        I breathed out a silent sigh of relief, "Oh, that's, um, cool..."   
        Fred and George looked at each other, smiling, and as Fred stood George grabbed the sack from behind them and they both came closer to me. "Would you like to try one of our candies? We're trying to see how—"  
        "Compatible they are with different people,” George finished, holding the bag out in my direction, and I looked at it for a second before slightly shaking my head. "Awe, why not?"  
        "They won't bite," Fred laughed.  
        "Probably," they laughed at the same time.  
        "No, thank you though..." I shook my head, "But I am... well, lost. My next class is Divination...?"  
        The twins smiled, "Ah, lost already?"  
        "Well, she is a Slytherin," George said to Fred, and he nodded solemnly.  
        "Shame."  
        "Hey, what's wrong with being a Slytherin?" I asked, offended by their insult to my house. I was proud to be a Slytherin, and they were acting as if it was the worst thing in the world.  
        "You mean you don't know?" Fred asked, seemingly shocked.  
        "Gryffindor's and Slytherin's are practically enemies," George informed, and I frowned.  
        "Well, obviously that doesn't matter much," I said, "Otherwise Ron, Harry, and Hermione wouldn't tolerate me."   
        The twins scrutinized me, and George seemed to get an idea, "Slytherin sucks. The types of people to be put into it end up being Dark Wizards and go to Azkaban."  
        "Which is the worst prison in existence," Fred explained.  
        I was seething with fury, but I kept it inside, choosing instead to be civil about what I would say, "Being a Slytherin is about being cunning and clever, not that any other houses would know much about that. But that's the point, isn't it? Each house is different, each person is taken in for different reasons, and all depending on what they believe is important in both life and learning. Gryffindor is generally braver than the other houses. Hufflepuff is extremely loyal. Ravenclaw is so intelligent and creative that it's ridiculous. And Slytherin is cunning. Houses shouldn't argue meaningless points about 'who's better' but should be appreciating those differences in each other. Basically my only friends at this damn school are in the house that I'm supposedly 'enemy' to. But to say that one house generally has criminals only makes your house look even worse to be pointing that out and be picking on a harmless newbie about idiotic trivia," the twins listened to all I had to say, and once I finished smiles slowly spread across their faces, but I continued for a moment, "Now, if either of you could tell me where Divination is I would gladly be on my way."  
        "You're brilliant," Fred laughed, looking at George, "Georgie a Slytherin who is actually cool enough to hang around!"  
        "I know!" George agreed, also laughing, and as they laughed they each took a turn shaking my hand, "If you need help with anything just let us know. Just, you know, don't expect us to be civil to other Slytherin's."  
        I couldn't help but laugh as they did, it was just one of those types of laughs that you had to laugh with. "Well, I still need to find Divination."  
        "Right you are," Fred said, and after a few moment of listening to his directions -- including the occasional added notes from George -- I walked off, turning right down a hallway just as the bell let off to release to the next class. I walked quickly, avoiding the people around me and the stares and whispers that came along with being the only newbie at the school.  
        "Hey, you!"   
        My head whipped around to the side, seeing a portrait of a man with knight armor on, a sword in hand, and swinging it around wildly in order to get my attention. I looked around to see if he might have been talking to someone else, but he then said, "Yes, you! Come here and battle me!"  
I cleared my throat, trying to keep from laughing, "Sir, I can't fight you, you're in a painting."  
        "Oh, a chicken, eh?"   
        "Well, no, but--"   
        "Then fight!" he shouted, swinging his sword and stumbling around in his armor, which was obviously too big for him, and I shook my head, walking away. He flipped his shit then, "YOU COWARD, YOU ABANDON YOUR DUTIES AS A FIGHT IS CALLED FORTH!! YOU THEREFORE LOSE THE FIGHT AND I AM DEEMED YOUR ETERNAL SUPERIOR!!"  
        I rolled my eyes and continued walking, finding a line of students going through a trapdoor and up to where I was assuming the classroom was. I teetered behind them, watching as student after student disappeared into the door, and that foreboding feeling spread through me again. I tapped my foot while I moved forward until I managed to climb through the door, revealing a room littered with different tables, each with crystal balls on them, as well as books and papers and random knick-knacks that made the room look extremely cluttered. Almost all of the tables already had people at them, but Draco was sitting at one of the only few that only had just the one person. I walked over to his table, sitting down and watching him fiddle with his wand while he watched me. After a moment of silence, I said, "Thanks again for helping me in Potions."  
        "Turns out you didn't even need it," he smirked, shrugging, "But that doesn't mean that I'm not still going to help tutor you."  
        Was it just me or did it sound like Draco was flirting?  
        Before I could say anything else a woman with glasses so large that they made her eyes look bigger than her head, said, "I see that all of you have made it back to Hogwarts after summer break, as I knew all of you would. I—” her voice cut off as her huge eyes locked on mine, and a look of shock set on her face, “Y-you…”  
        I glanced at Draco, my face red, trying to see if I had done something wrong, but he looked confused so I turned back to her to see that she had moved to where she was directly in front of me. She looked deranged as she said, “You weren’t supposed to be here.”  
        “Uh, I’m sorry?”  
        “You weren’t supposed to be here. You need to leave. You need to leave. You need to leave. You need to—”  
        “Professor Trelawney!” Harry shouted out. She was shocked out of her trance and cleared her throat, looking around like she was confused as to how she had gotten to where she was. She looked down at me, and by the look on her face I think I might have been shaking. “Oh, hello dear. Are you all right…? No, you aren’t. You… you weren’t supposed…?” her voice trailed off and she looked confused, clutching the side of her head, but then she shook her head and laughed a bit, “Dear, you need to leave the classroom since you so obviously can’t handle this. You can either go to Headmaster Dumbledore’s office or else Madam Pomfrey. Oh, but you are new here... someone should take you… Ah, Mr. Malfoy, you can take her to either of the two. As for the rest of you…”  
        I didn’t hear the rest of what she was saying, already out the door and as far away from that room as possible. I was terrified and I didn’t know what to do about it.  
        “Evelyn,” Draco shouted out, trailing after me. I stopped, turning to look at him, “Evelyn, you don’t need to freak out. She always singles out one person for the year – well, at least one – and makes fake prophesies about them. Unfortunately this time her target was you.”  
        “But I’ve been feeling so…”  
        “Trust me, it’s nothing to worry about,” he smirked, “You must seriously be upset by this: you didn’t say anything about the fact that I called you by your name.”  
        I rolled my eyes and turned to walk away, “You’re ridiculous.”  
        “And you’re going in the wrong direction.”  
        I stopped, sighing, and looked back at him again, “Well, lead on.”


	9. Familiars

     All I could think of as I sat at the edge of a hospital bed was how uncomfortable I was. I was sitting comfortably, yeah, but the nurse lady, Madam Pomfrey, was giving me her full attention, as was Draco. He was leaning against a wall across from where I was sitting, watching me, and Madam Pomfrey was going through a cupboard, continuously glancing at me like I might disappear. Her look was similar to that guy who had sold me my wand and I couldn't help but wish that I was invisible. I hated people watching me.

     "Dear, do you have any problems with close spaces or crowds?" she asked, looking at me expectantly.

     I rubbed my arm, "Y-yeah, a really bad one actually. I'm extremely claustrophobic and have anxiety issues."

     "Hmm..." she went back into the cupboard, moving things around while muttering to herself, and once she turned back to me I saw that she had a flask in her hand. She held it out to me, "Drink this, dear."

     "What is it for?" I asked, unwilling to simply follow her orders blindly: I had a bit of a trusting issue.

     "Deals with your 'really bad' problem," she smiled, but her words were somewhat sassy.

     "Alright then..." I took the flask, bringing it to my lips. As soon as the silvery liquid touched my tongue I refrained from gagging, swallowing it with my eyes closed. I heard Draco chuckling, but Madam Pomfrey scolded him.

     "You don't need to be here anymore, Mr. Malfoy. Go on back to class; I promise she'll be here when you get back. Now go on, out with you," she ushered him to the door, and just before Draco stepped out of the door he glanced back at me, as if to make certain that I would be okay without him. I simply smirked as he was pushed out, but instead of shutting the door promptly Madam Pomfrey turned to look at me, "Just sit here and relax until I get back: there's been an accident with a first year who bit off a bit more than he could chew during his first flying lesson."

     "People can fly?" I asked, my curiosity instantly peaked.

     She smiled, "Of course, on brooms," with that she left, closing the door behind her, and I blinked for a minute before slowly sinking down into the bed. "Brooms," I mumbled, "Of course."

     For a little while I sat there, staring up at the ceiling, until a tapping at the window behind me startled me upright. "Nevar!" I whisper yelled, watching her flap her wings triumphantly outside the window for having found me. She waited a few moments while I figured out how to ope the window, and then she flew in and perched on the edge of my bed with me. She regarded me while I slid the window down so that it didn't look like it was opened but so that it still had enough room underneath for Nevar to be able to squirm underneath and fly off; once I was done she tilted her head up so that I could stroke the feathers down her neck absentmindedly.

     My mind was reeling at a hundred miles an hour, going over all that I had experienced thus far, and for a terrifying moment I thought that it had all been a mistake: I didn't belong here. The real mistake was that they had contacted me at all. That no matter what I would do I wouldn't be accepted by anyone; that the only reason that I passed my first potion was by experimenting; that I wasn't worth anyone's time here. This newfound feeling of worthlessness was enough to make my heart slow and my breathing become shallow while I swallowed back the unforgiving knot of tears before it could bubble over and show my weakness off to the school.

     Nevar cooed, fluttering up to my shoulder and nuzzling up against my cheek while I wiped away the brimming liquid from my eyes. "Thanks, sweetie," I whispered, scratching her head. I had only known her for a day, but already I felt attached to her and obviously she did as well. She made some of that bad feeling disappear, and I was extremely grateful.

     "Ah, your Familiar is beautiful."

     Nevar and I both jumped at the sound of Professor Dumbledor's voice, which caused her feathers to poof out. "Um, I didn't mean--" I began, but he cut me off.

     "No need to fret," he smiled kindly, "I did not mean to startle you and your Familiar."

     "Familiar?"

     "Yes, the spiritual creature that takes the form of an animal and helps its' witch with magic, among other things. They're very loyal creatures, and usually represent something about the witch that she herself never would have guessed," he paused, watching me process what he was saying, then continued softly, "Some of the most powerful witches have winged Familiars."

     I thought about that. "So... you're saying that... I'm powerful?"

     "Alas I cannot say. So, I take it you had an interesting meeting with Professor Trelawney?"

     "You could say that..." I mumbled, looking down at Nevar who was perched on my knee. I knew I had felt a connection to her, I just didn't realize that there was such a strong reason.

     "What exactly did she say to you?" he questioned, looking curious.

     "Uh... something about that I shouldn't be in her classroom..." I said, remembering that she exactly said that I shouldn't be 'here', which didn't necessarily mean her classroom. I was actually thinking that she was referring to Hogwarts, that I shouldn't be at the school at all, but I was worried that Dumbledore would think me paranoid.

     "Don't take her words to heart: she likes to make a show of her... eh, gift," he told me and I nodded. At that he smiled kindly, "Remember, should you ever need it you may speak with me, no matter what the topic of discussion."

     "Thank you, Professor," I smiled weakly, and he looked like he was going to say something else but he instead just nodded and walked out of the room, leaving me wondering if I should have told him what I was thinking about Trelawney and her words toward me. Regardless, I sat there staring down at Nevar until Madam Pomfrey came in, checked me out, and let me leave. I had Nevar fly out of the room through the window beforehand, and once I was out of the room I stood there, wondering if I should be at Hogwarts in the first place.


	10. A Study in Pink

     My feelings of dread did nothing to help my nerves about my next class: Defense Against the Dark Arts. I was precisely three minutes early to the class and was standing awkwardly just outside of the door until the moment that the bell rang and all negative space in the corridor around me was eaten up by other students. Most of them stole me sidelong glances as they passed, but I refused to acknowledge them, instead opening up the door to my classroom and hoping beyond hope that it was, in fact, my Defense Against the Dark Arts class. No one else was in there -- not even the teacher -- so I slid into a seat in the back left corner of the room where no one would be able to look at me without craning their neck around at an awkward angle except, perhaps, for the teacher. I silently prayed to have a tall and wide guy sit in front of me so that I would have a private little nook to myself, away from prying eyes.

     It had still only been a few moments since the passing period had began so I still had a bit of time to myself. I pulled out a notebook from my bag along with a pen and ink, and immediately began to scribble down new things I had learned about myself since getting to the school.

     1) I am a witch.

     2) I have a wand. (I then sketched a similar liking of the wand, which I had been absentmindedly fidgeting with.)

     3) I am good at potions.

     4) I do not belong here...

     I looked down at what I had written, folding and unfolding the top corner of the paper like I always did when my mind was elsewhere, but before I had any time to think about any of it I felt eyes on me. I ignored it for a moment, choosing instead to doodle swirled designs across my page, but eventually the table was nudged a little to the left which caused my pen to inch over in a sharp angle that I hadn't wanted to exist. I refrained from sighing, my heart pounding, and looked up through my mess of hair to see Draco grinning wickedly down at me. He was putting his bag down on the table that I had claimed for my own by placing my bag in the perfect position to ward off unwanted company, but he was sitting down regardless, completely ignoring my bag. I looked down at it like it had failed in its duty of protecting me from uncomfortable conversations but refused to move it: if Draco didn't like it then tough.

     "Good morning, class," that dreadful pink woman from that morning chirped with her quiet yet seemingly venomous voice. All students had stopped to give her their full attention, but she paused, expecting something. A response, perhaps? She then went through this drawn out motion of getting us as a class to respond to her comment which, by the way, didn't even seem relevant considering the morning I had been having. Unfortunately I had no say in the matter, for she even shot me a look that said that she could hear my silence as a response to her comment and that it wasn't appreciated. She finally broke from that and continued, using chalk to write on the board as she spoke, "Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations; O-W-Ls, more commonly known as OWLs. Study hard and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so..." her eyes landed on me for much longer than necessary before traveling over to other students, "And the consequences my be severe. Your previous instruction in this subject has been disturbingly uneven, but you will be pleased to know, from know on... you will be following a carefully constructed, Ministry approved, course of defensive magic," Hermione -- I hadn't even realized she was in the class with me -- raised her hand, and the pink woman had pursed lips as she inquired with, "Yes?"

     "There's nothing in here about using defensive spells...?"

     The pink woman looked positively scandaled, "Using spells? Well I can't imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom," I felt my heart drop: I wouldn't be learning spells to defend myself. I bit my tongue to keep from snickering.

     "We're not gonna use magic?" Ron asked.

     "You'll be learning spells in a secure, risk free way," she responded.

     Harry -- who I also hadn't noticed in the room -- looked cross, "What use is that? If we're attacked it won't be risk free."

     Simply by him speaking, the pink woman looked like she wanted to snarl at him, but rather than cause a scene she kept herself calm, which led my mind on a tangent about her face being punchable, "Students will raise their hands when they speak in my class," she then composed herself, that viciousness slinking back down under her facade of makeup and adoration for the color pink, "It is the view of the Ministry... that a theoretical knowledge will be sufficient... to get you through your examinations... which, after all, is what school is all about."

     Out of the blue, without me even stopping to convince myself that the idea was ridiculously stupid, I blurted out, "Well then what's the point of all of this?"

     Draco's eyebrows shot up as he looked over at me, but I was too focused on the fact that the terrible woman was focused on me. I tunneled my vision, keeping all other eyes from my own so that I could focus on her -- as much as she repulsed me. "Excuse me?"

     I felt my tongue getting tied, my body trying to prevent me from traveling down that road, but I cleared my throat and kept on, "If... well, if we aren't going to be actually learning how to do anything, what's the point of actually... you know, learning them? Why not get rid of the class all together if it is essentially pointless and a waste of time for both the students and the teacher? I mean..." my voice suddenly felt small, my face red, but I finished, "If it's so important, then shouldn't we be... actually... learning it?"

     In that moment I was pretty sure that the entire room could hear my heart beating in a mad attempt to get out of my rib cage. _What the Hell just came over me?_ I thought in fear, watching as -- what was her name, Um-something -- went from being confused to being beside herself. "What is your name, dear?" she asked, her voice still high pitched and soft, but laced with something much sharper, and much more deadly.

     "Raine Odessa," I blurted out, gripping my hands to tight that my fingernails were digging into my palms. I felt more than saw Draco watching me, and I wished that he would do something to draw all attention away from me if only for a moment, just so that I could once again smooth my feathers and get myself ready for another mental assault.

     Unfortunately I did not have that time, for Um-whatever continued, "Miss Odessa, I am going to cut you some slack since you're essentially a first year," her words were like daggers, her eyes even worse, "But sarcasm and being a smart aleck is not to be tolerated. I don't know how they did it in America," she sneered the word, America, like it was a disease, an anomaly, and I felt extremely offended, "But here we will not be accepting that sort of attitude. Is that clear?"

     I blinked. Was she serious? I was asking an honest question, but apparently she took it as me trying to turn the class against her. I furrowed my eyebrows, thinking over my words and then her own before opening my mouth, "Did... did you essentially just pull the prejudice card on the fact that I'm from America? Just because I had asked you a question?"

     She was about to say something, but I wasn't done, "I was just asking you an honest question. We're in a school, questions are encouraged. I don't know why you would think that I'm trying to be a smart ass, but I'm serious: why would the class be taught if it will apparently have no relevance to life outside of these walls?"

     "Detention, Miss Odessa," she said, and I thought over my words, realizing I had cussed. I sighed and rolled my eyes at my stupidity, but Harry stepped in.

     "Raine's got a good point," he said, "Besides, how's theory supposed to prepare us for what's out there?"

     "There's nothing out there, dear. Who do you imagine wants to attack students like yourself?" she pursed her lips, like she had just proved the answer in her retort.

     "Oh, I don't know, maybe Lord Voldemort."

     If I had thought that me speaking had caused a silence, it was nothing compared to the classroom once Harry had said that name. It was like time itself had just sucked in a breath, watching in anticipation for how Umbridge -- oh, that was her name -- would react to Harry's comment. I vaguely remembered something Draco had said about that name, Voldemort, but I couldn't figure out why that was such a terrible thing to say. I glanced around the room, seeing that all eyes were suddenly darting about in eager anticipation, as if by merely mentioning Voldemort the world would crumple to dust around them. Umbridge flattened out her dress, composing herself before she looked up and looked at each and every one of us, "Now let me make this quite plain. You have been told... that a certain dark wizard is at large once again," her eyes landed on me, then shifted across the room to Harry, "This is a lie."

     "It's not a lie; I saw him, I fought him," Harry's voice was raised, growing a bit more agitated with each syllable until the word 'fought' seemed like a shout.

     "Detention, Mr. Potter," Umbridge ordered, her voice slightly louder as well, and she had a triumphant look on her face but Harry trudged on.

     "So according to you Cedric Diggory dropped dead on his own accord?"

     "Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident," she said, other students looking vaguely like caged animals. I looked down and found my wand on the table and in my hands, as if I were trying to ward off everyone around me. I felt like I had stumbled up to the rabbit hole and found myself tumbling down where up was down and down was left. I didn't know who Cedric Diggory was, but it was like I was looking in at someone else's life by simply being witness to the conversation.

     "It was murder, Voldemort killed him!"

     "Enough!" Umbridge shrieked, her voice shrill. She sort of cleared her throat, "Enough. See me later, Mr. Potter. My office," she then addressed me once more, "As for you, Miss Odessa: I expect you in my office after Mr. Potter is finished. Have I made myself clear?" she didn't even pause for me to so much as nod, "Good. Good, now, class, turn to page..."

     I tuned her voice out, my face red, and looked down. I knew that Draco was watching me, asking me questions without actually asking them, but I tuned him out too, wishing I were with Nevar back in my room, away from the world, where I could just sleep until the people around me weren't stranger than the magic my world had become.


	11. Delinquent

     "I didn't think you had it in you, Evelyn."

     "Draco, just... leave me alone," I sighed, twiddling my thumbs. I was sitting outside of Umbridge's office, waiting for Harry's detention to be over so that I could go in and get it over with, and Draco had decided that it was his duty to sit with me and annoy the heck out out me. I just wasn't in the mood.

     "You even cursed," he laughed, "To a teacher!"

     I rolled my eyes and slumped over in my seat, hiding behind my hair so that I couldn't see him teasing me.

     "It's just funny is all. You don't even want to talk, and yet you talk back to a teacher and then curse at her, not to mention you waking everyone in Slytherin up this morning with your scream--"

     The door opened in that second, cutting Draco off as Harry came running out, clutching his hand. I stood, grabbing the door, but turned back to Draco right before I entered, "Seriously, Draco, just back off," I turned back and entered, closing the door behind me. I had to blink a few times in order to adjust to the sudden blinding brightness that emanated from the room, and once I adjusted I had to suck in a breath to keep from laughing.

     All around the room was nothing but pink, pink, and more pink. Pink tapestries; pink carpet; pink rugs; pink chairs; pink curtains; pink walls. Where there wasn't pink there were kittens. On her walls were plates with images of kittens of all types and colors, all of which moving around like the paintings I had seen throughout Hogwarts, which was a bit unnerving. Everywhere I looked were beady little eyes staring at me, mewing and purring and playing with yarn. It was very creepy, and a bit surreal. Her furniture was antique looking, with wood finish and curved features. On her desk everything was aligned perfectly; pens and pencils all parallel to each other, not a single one out of place; a little white placemat was parallel to the front of her desk, her wand parallel to that directly underneath it. She had a tea set, and a tea cup with a saucer and a spoon in front of her, her arms folded perfectly behind it. Her back was straight, and she was watching me walk in, like she was an extremely important queen and had to look nice even for a commoner such as myself. Again I thought of the fact that this toad-like woman had a perfectly punchable face.

     Umbridge waited a moment for me to take it all in, then quietly said, "Have a seat."

     I obliged, her posture rubbing off on me and making me sit up straight as well. She pursed her lips, "You understand why you're here, correct?"

     I nodded, "I'm sorry for cussing, but in all fairness you were being prejudiced toward me simply because I'm from a different country."

     She shook her head, standing up, "That is a lie."

     I blinked, "What?"

     "I did no such thing. You are taking our conversation from the classroom and making yourself seem innocent when in actuality... you are a delinquent."

     "Excuse me?" my blood was rushing to my face in embarrassment and anger.

     "I will not tolerate such behavior in my classroom. If I am to see this from you again... I'm afraid there will be extreme consequences."

     "Is that a threat?" I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. She's a teacher, she can't seriously be doing this, could she?

     She didn't say anything, instead reaching over to her desk and pulling out a piece of paper and a quill, "You will be writing lines for me, Miss Odessa," she said, placing both the quill and the paper in front of me. She walked back to her seat slowly, not once taking her eyes off of me. I was watching her with anger and a bit of fear, unsure if this was my fault or not. She was seriously starting to freak me out.

     I cleared my throat, looking down at the quill, "What am I supposed to be writing?"

     "You will write, 'I am a delinquent'," she pursed her lips again, folding her hands perfectly on her desk.

     I sighed, picking up the quill, "How many times?"

     "Until it sinks in," her words seemed foreboding, which sent a chill up my spine. "Using what ink?"

     "Oh, it's a special quill," she told me, "Just write the lines."

     I slid the paper closer to me and began to write it but as I did I felt a sharp pain in my arm. I finished writing the sentence -- it was fairly short -- but the pain in my arm intensified, and slid up my sleeve and looked down, letting out a pained gasp as I watched "I am a delinquent" cut into my skin in my handwriting, blood trickling out from the letters. Tears were brimming in my eyes as I stared in horror at the inside of my arm, the words now permanently etched into my skin. The words on the paper were red, which made me realize that the ink from her special quill was my own blood.

     "Is there a problem, dear?" she asked, and I looked up at her in horror. I thought that I was done with physical and mental abuse since I wasn't at the orphanage or with any of my past foster parents, but this woman, this evil, vile woman... she forced me to scar myself, all because I said a cuss word in response to her prejudiced remark about me. Was this really what Hogwarts was like?

     I pushed my sleeves back down and shook my head, looking down at the paper.

     "Has the sentence really sunk in yet?"

     I nodded.

     "Then you may leave. Please send in the next student."

     I stood and bolted out the doors, swallowing the knot of tears in my throat. I flung open the door and walked briskly down the stairs, unsure as to where I was headed but too freaked out to actually notice that. The walls around me were shrinking in, my breaths shallow and quick, but I did not stop for fear that someone would notice me. I vaguely heard Draco calling my name from behind me, but I did not stop until I came up to a dead end. I cursed under my breath, covering my mouth with my hand and squeezing my eyes shut in an attempt to block out everything around me. I heard Draco run up.

     "Evelyn, hey," he breathed, "I'm sorry for bringing that up earlier, it was stupid... hey, what's wrong?"

     I shook my head, hoping he would give up and walk away; he seemed like the type of person that would do that. Unfortunately he didn't, "Evelyn, what's wrong? Did something happen?"

     I shook my head again, but my panic attack spread entirely through me, forcing the tears to come. I felt Draco's arms guiding me to the floor, where he sat with me. I was leaning against the wall, the stones cool and calming; his hand was on my own as he sat next to me, not saying anything while I rode through the wave of my panic attack.

     We sat that way for what felt like an hour but was probably only five minutes tops before my attack subsided and I was able to take shaky yet gradually steadying breaths. I looked down at his hand, "Thanks for... you know..."

     "When I was younger my mother would have panic attacks every time she got bad news about her sister," he said, his voice quiet, "I learned to just let her tumble through it and then pull her back at the end."

     "I'm sorry," I whispered, not sure if I was apologizing for his mother or for myself.

     "I completely understand if you don't want to talk about it, but..." his voice trailed off and I found myself glancing over at him to see that he was watching me, thinking over his words, "Is this just because of your detention or does it have something to do with... your nightmare?"

     I closed my eyes, taking in a breath. My body was left numb, the attack having wasted all of my built up energy, so I found myself not fighting the words I chose to speak, "This one is mainly because of memories that that wretched woman brought up."

     Draco leaned forward, angling his head so that he could look into my eyes. In his own I found concern and a bit of something I didn't recognize swirling around in his green irises, "What did she do?"

     Do I really want him to know? I thought to myself, messing with my sleeve. I thought over it, realizing that extreme punishment could be something that the teachers at Hogwarts did often, which would make me seem like a pathetic child compared to everyone else. After all, I had seen Harry leave with his hand gripped, more than likely from something similar... "She just reminded me of some of the people I'd had to deal with in foster care, is all..." I mumbled, looking away. I'd decided that it wasn't wise of me to give him my problems: it was my first day, and I didn't have all of the facts.

     "Well, what did she actually--?"

     "Draco," I interrupted, "Look; I really appreciate you comforting me, but... I really don't want to talk about this, okay? It's my personal business and I don't want to discuss it with a virtual stranger."

     "I wouldn't consider myself a virtual stranger seeing as to how I just helped you out and even shared a little bit of personal information with you as well," he argued.

     "Well I didn't ask you do do that, now did I?" I snapped, standing up.

     He stood, too, looking kind of angry. "I just helped you, Evelyn, and--"

     "My name is Raine," I corrected, "Thank you for helping me out, but I didn't ask you for it, so leave me alone."

     "Fine," he frowned, "Then don't expect it again."

     "Fine," I agreed, crossing my arms and holding back a wince from the cuts on my arm.

     "Fine," he repeated, turning and walking away. He was about halfway down the hall before he stopped for a second and looked like he was about to turn around, but then thought better of it and continued walking. It wasn't until he was already out of view that I realized that I was crying again.


End file.
